Dispensing and bottle closure device



May 5, 1942. H. ULANET DISPENSING BOTTLE AND CLOSURE DEVICE 2 Shee ts-Sh set 1 Filed Aug. 2, 1940 b II 1 un- INVENTOR. HER/775A! Hum 5 ATTORNEY.

y' 1942- H. ULANET DISPENSING BOTTLE AND CLOSURE DEVICE Filed Aug. 2, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HA'ET ATTORNEY.

Patented May 5,1942

UNITED STATES PATENT 7 OFFICE msransmc Am: 3:2: cnosunr: DEVICE Herman Ulanet, Newark,- N. 1. Application; 21:: 2, (13:12am. 349,809

This invention relates to combined dispensing and bottle closure devices having a plurality of passages, one adapted to admit air to the bottle upon the flow of liquid from the bottle through the other passage, and the other adapted to permit the flow of liquid therethrough.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide dispensing and bottle closure devices which are more eflicient than those heretofore proposed.

Another object of the invention is to provide dispensing and bottle closure devices which may be readily manufactured at a relatively low cost.

Another object of the invention is to provide dispensing and bottle closure devices which will automatically prevent spill-overs in the course of filling glasses with liquid.

Another object of the invention is to provide dispensing bottle closure devices whose separate parts may be easily produced and readily assembled.

These and other objects of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description to the drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a view in side elevation of a dispensing and bottle closure device embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 2 and illustrates a modification of the device shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 illustrates the relative position of the device and glass receiving the liquid therefrom and illustrates the manner of operation thereof to prevent spill-over.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line V-V of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows, with part of the dome or globe broken away.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view similar to Figs. 2 and 3, and illustrates a modification of the devices shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. '7 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 6 and illustrates a modification of the devices shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 6.

Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation, with the globe or dome in vertical section, and illustrates a modification of the devices shown in Figs. 2,- 3, 6 and 7.

Fig. 9 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section and illustrates a further modification of the devices shown.

According to my invention and as shown in Fig. l, the dispensing and bottle ciosure device or pourer comprises a spout l0 curved slightly at its lower end. The spout is preferably of rec- M has hinged thereto a cover II which, due to tangular cross section whose outer face is disposed in a plane inclined with respect to its lengthwise center line. The top side of the spout the inclination of the outer end face of spout l0, rests in closed position when the spout I0 is in its upright position and closes the relatively large opening l2 throughout the length of spout i0. Because the cover II is hinged to the top side of spout i0 and is disposed at the inclination as shown, the cover II' will automatically swing to open position as shown in Fig. 4 upon tipping or canting of spout I 0 for pouring and will automatically swing back to closed position when the spout III is returned to its upright position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The spout III has a hollow shank l3 integral therewith and depending therefrom. The shank l3 may be cylindrical and has an enlarged opening therethrough communicating with opening I! in spout l0 and may be regarded as a continuation of said opening I! and therefore bears the same reference character I2. The shank l3 has a plurality of circumferential recesses therein to provide a plurality of upwardly directed retaining or locking teeth I3. The outside diameter of shank I 8 is preferably less than the distance between the opposite sides of spout ID to provide shoulder H which locates a globe or dome l5 and assists in looking said dome to the spout l0 and shank l3. Integral with the shank l3 at its lower extremity and extending downwardly therefrom is an extension I6 of relatively small cross sectional area. The extension l6 besides extending downwardly away from the shank l3 extends towards and beyond the vertical center line of shank l3 in a smooth wide curve. An opening I 1, serving as an air vent, of relatively small cross sectional area extends from the extremity of the free end of extension l6, through said extension l6, shank l3 and spout l0 and terminates at the underside of spout l0 near and slightly below the discharge end thereof. Located a small distance below the extremity of the vent I! in the spout is a small boss, projection. stop or fulcrum l8 which may rest on the lip of a glass receiving the liquid through opening l2 of spout I0. As can be readily seen from an inspection of Fig. 4, with the spout It) in pouring position, the lip of the glass located in the saddle between fulcrum I 8 and the underside of spout ID, the cover II in open position, as the liquid in the glass approaches the upper edge of the glass the liquid seals the vent H to automatically prevent the flow of liquid through opening I2 of spout III. This, of course, prevents spillovers when the attention of the person pouring the liquid is not directed to pouring operation. This automatic manner of preventing spill-overs is important notwithstanding the fact that each spill-over may in itself represent but a small amount of liquid, but when the quantity of spillover is multiplied by the number of spill-overs in the course of fllling many glasses, it has been found to be of considerableamount which represents a substantial loss when 1 converted into dollars and cents.

The spout I0, shank I3 and. extension I4 may be made up in the form of a single unitary element of a plastic composition such as Lucite or the like. This unitary single element may be made up by casting the element in two halves, one being shown in Fig, 2, and these two halves may be fused together or secured together by means of an appropriate adhesive.

The single unitary element may be readily assembled with the dome I5 which may be composed of any desired material such as a plastic or metal and of any desired contour and as shown being a hollow sphere having its lower quarter segment cut away and having an opening in its top of the same cross sectional dimensions as the shank I3.

The single unitary element is combined with the I3 having spring arms 20 adapted to be pushed upwardly along the teeth of the shank and to have their inner edges rest between two teeth with the outer end edges of the washer bearing against the under face of the dome I5 to maintain firmly said cap I5 against shoulder I4. A cork 2I having therethrough an opening whose diameter is slightly less than the diameter of the shank teeth is forced up along the shank until the top face thereof bears against the lock washer I9 and the stopper or cork 2I is locked to the shank I3 by the teeth I3. It is within the scope of this invention to eliminate the lock washer I9 from use if desired and in this case, the stopper 2i itself may be forced upwardly against the interior of the cap I5 to lock to cap I to the spout I0 and shank l3. As shown the dome I5 preferably extends material J below the lower edge of stopper 2I in order to protect in transit the stopper if any of the devices are assembled as shown in the drawings and so shipped. The diameter of the cap I5 throughout most of its height is materially greater than the greatest diameter of stopper 2I so that the neck of the bottle into which the stopper is to be inserted may be accommodated and protected by cap I5.

The modification shown in Fig. 3 discloses a single unitary element comprising spout III, circumferentially serrated or toothed shank I3 and extension I6 similar in all respects to the corresponding unitary element shown in Fig. 2 except that the spout III has a relatively wide flange 22 integral therewith at the lower end of the spout III. The flange 22 has a lower flat annular face 23 and the upper face thereof is the top part of the cap I5. The remainder of cap I5 as shown in Fig. 3 is in two sections 24 and 25, with section 24 having an annular underlip 26 defining a circular shoulder in which rests the outer edge of flange 22. The lower end of element 24 and the upper end of element 25 are grooved to provide the interfitting groove and tongue arrangement. The single unitary element comprising spout III, serrated shank I3, extension I6 and flange 22 may be composed of a plastic material and may be manufactured in the same manner as the unitary element shown in Fig. 2. It will also be noted that said unit may be used separately and without the use of the dome member. The elements 24 and 25 may be secured to each other and element 24 may be secured to flange 22 by a suitable adhesive and these two elements 24 and 25 may also be composed of plastic material.

. The stopper or cork 2I may be forced on to shank flange 22.

The modification shown in Fig. 6 is similar to the devices shown in Fig. 2, except that the spout I0 is separate from the shank I3 and has a short cylindrical sleeve 21 depending therefrom below the shoulder I4. The neck or sleeve 21 is inserted through the opening in the top of cap I5 and the shoulder I4 rests thereon. In this modification the inner diameter of shank I3 is equal to or very slightly less than the external diameter of sleeve 21. The shank I3 is forced upwardly on the sleeve 21 and against the under face of cap I5 to make a tight joint between sleeve 21 and shank I3 and to firmly lock the cap between the shank I3 and shoulder IS. The spout ID has a small opening in the underside thereof adjacent the upper extremity thereof to accommodate one end of a vent tube 28 which corresponds in function to the vent ll of the devices shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Located below said opening is another small opening accommodating the fulcrum pin or boss I8 rigidly locked therein by friction. The vent tube 28 is substantially straight along the length of its mid-section h 29. The lower part 30 is curved in one direction from the mid-section 29 and the upper part 3I is curved in the opposite direction from the midsection 29, with the curve in the upper section approximating the curve of the inner surface of the upper side of spout I 0. The upper end of .the upper part 3| is bent downwardly and is of short length as shown at 32. In this modification shown in Fig. 6 and in the modification shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, I prefer that all the parts with the exception of the stopper 2| be composed of metal. In order to assemble the vent tube 28 to the spout I0 and shank I3, all that need be done is to insert the upper part 3I thereof up through shank I3 and into spout l0 and adjusting the position of end 32 until it is opposite the small opening thereof whereupon it will snap therein and the vent 28 will be in the position as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 with the curved portion of the upper part 3| bearing against the curved part of the inner face of the upper side of spout I0, and the middle part of mid section 29 hearing against the lower end of shank I3. The vent 28 is preferably of spring metal so that it may be readily forced to the position described and will automatically be retained in this position by its own force at the three points set forth. In order to remove the vent 28 from the spout I0 all that need be done is to press the tip 32 inwardly beyond the opening in spout III and withdraw the vent.

Inthe modification shown in Fig. 7, the spout I0 and shank I3 are integral, but the spout III at the juncture therebetween has integral therewith a narrow flange 35 on which is located that portion of cap I5 adjacent the opening in the top thereof. The outer edges of the flange and In the modificationshown in Fig. 8 there is a circular slot 36 at the juncture between spout I and shank I3. Said shank I3 is forced downwardly through the opening in the top of the cap I until the edge of the cap I5 is adjacent slot 36 when it will automatically snap into said slot 36 or may be forced therein by flattening out the upper part of the cap as shown at 31.

Still another modification, as shown in Fig. 9, is similar to the spout and shank assembly, with shoulder I4 as shown in Fig. 2. The cap I5 is locked to the shank I3 and spout III by uniting the shank I3 through the opening in the top of the cap I5 until shoulder I4 rests on cap I5. Thereafter a narrow ring 40 is pushed upwardly on shank I3 until it bears against the lower face of cap I5. The ring 40 frictionally engages the shank I3 and makes a tight fit thereon to lock the cap I5 to the shank I3 and spout III.

In the devices shown in Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9, the stopper or cork 2| maybe mounted on the shank I3 in the manner heretofore set forth. It is within the scope of this invention to provid dispensing and closure devices other than the specific embodiments shown by the combination of any of the parts shown. Although the invention has been described with particularity, it is not to be limited to the exact construction shown because the same is subject to changes and modifications within its scope.

I claim: v

A liquid dispensing closure device comprising, a spout having a dependent exteriorly roughened shank provided with a shoulder at the juncture thereof with said spout, a hollow cap perforated to receive said shank and abut said shoulder, a perforate lock washer engageable over said shank and against the interior of said cap, said washer having resilient gripper means to grip the roughened exterior of said shank to hold said washer against displacement from supporting engagement with said cap, and a stopper body affixed to and around said shank below said washer and within said cap.

2. A liquid dispensing closure device comprising, a spout having a dependent exteriorly roughened shank provided with a shoulder at the juncture thereof with said spout, said spout and shank having a liquid passage and a separate air vent means extending through said passage, said air vent means having an extension to position its intake end substantially beyond the intake end of said passage and having its outlet end terminating laterally at the underside of said spout adjacent the discharge end of said passage, a hollow cap perforated to receive said shank and abut said shoulder, a perforate lock washer engageable over said shank and against the interior of said cap, said washer having resilient gripper means to grip the roughened exterior of said shank to hold said washer against displacement from supporting engagement with said cap, and a stopper body afiixed to and around said shank below said washer and within said cap.

3. In a liquid dispensing closure device as defined in claim 2 wherein said spout is provided on its underside with an angular glass lip engaging stop projection spaced from its discharge end and adjacently below the outlet of said air vent means.

4. A liquid dispensing closure device comprising a spout having a dependent shank provided with a shoulder at the juncture thereof with said spout, a hollow cap perforated to receive said shank and abut saidshoulder, said shank having external annular teeth spaced along the length thereof, a perforate lock washer engageable over said shank and against the interior of said cap, said washer having opposed inwardly directed spring arms adapted to selectively engage said shank teeth to hold the washer against displacement from supporting engagement with said cap, and a stopper body having an axial bore to receive said toothed shank whereby to afllx the same to and around the latter and within said cap.

5. A liquid dispensing closure device comprising, a spout having a dependent shank provided with a shoulder at the juncture thereof with said spout, said spout and shank having a liquid passage and a separate air vent means extending through said passage, said air vent means having an extension to positionits intake end substantially beyond the intake end of said passage and having its outlet end terminating laterally at the under side of said spout adjacent the discharge end of said passage, an angular glass lip engaging stop projection spaced from the discharge end of said spout and adjacently below the outlet of said vent means, a hollow cap perforated to receive said shank and abut said shoulder, said shank having external annular undercut teeth spaced along the length thereof, a perforate lock washer engageable over said shank and against the interior of said cap, said washer having opposed inwardly directed spring arms adapted to selectively engage said shank teeth to hold, the washer against displacement from supporting engagement with said cap, and a stopper body having an axial bore to receive said toothed shank whereby to afiix the same to and around the latter and within said cap.

HERMAN ULANET. 

